X-Men: Dark Phoenix (06/07/19)

[Deadpulse]

21 hours ago, Tyty said:

Some people say he’s still watching it somewhere 

Sure am!

 

So here are my thoughts.

First and foremost, all the action was GREAT. The fight scene in NY and the train sequence were lights out. Magento's choreography on the train was especially tight. They did a fantastic job making their abilities seems like utilities in battle rather than just a "this is what I do" power. They really made it seem like these guys have trained to be actually warriors and not just be one note weapons. 

 

That being said, almost everything else was mediocre to bad. Jean Grey was not properly developed as a character leading up to this flick. They tried to put the focus on Xavier and his mistakes, which IMO was the right move, but they could not mask having such a key piece to the story so underdeveloped. Especially when it came to her relationship with Scott which got played up a few times but never seemed earned. The D'Bari were a ridiculous shoe in. Their motivations are BARELY explained and their presence is almost completely unnecessary. I realize the third faction is important for Jean's way too rushed redemption, however throwing in the D'Bari Empire (despite being comic true) was a poor choice. Before I knew it was the D'Bari my initial reaction was, "really, aliens?". Finally, its extremely telling that my favorite scenes outside of the fights were those between Xavier, Mystique, Hank, and Magento.

[MossyMoss]

I don't get the hate, I think this was way better than Captain Marvel which I left mid way with my family.  

[AlexGreen#20]

On 6/17/2019 at 11:46 PM, Deadpulse said:

Sure am!

 

So here are my thoughts.

  Hide contents

First and foremost, all the action was GREAT. The fight scene in NY and the train sequence were lights out. Magento's choreography on the train was especially tight. They did a fantastic job making their abilities seems like utilities in battle rather than just a "this is what I do" power. They really made it seem like these guys have trained to be actually warriors and not just be one note weapons. 

 

That being said, almost everything else was mediocre to bad. Jean Grey was not properly developed as a character leading up to this flick. They tried to put the focus on Xavier and his mistakes, which IMO was the right move, but they could not mask having such a key piece to the story so underdeveloped. Especially when it came to her relationship with Scott which got played up a few times but never seemed earned. The D'Bari were a ridiculous shoe in. Their motivations are BARELY explained and their presence is almost completely unnecessary. I realize the third faction is important for Jean's way too rushed redemption, however throwing in the D'Bari Empire (despite being comic true) was a poor choice. Before I knew it was the D'Bari my initial reaction was, "really, aliens?". Finally, its extremely telling that my favorite scenes outside of the fights were those between Xavier, Mystique, Hank, and Magento.

 

You thought the action was great???

Magneto stood on a crowded New York street and never once threw a car. He spent the entire fight pulling a subway car out of the ground for reasons not entirely clear. 

Magneto vs. Storm/Cyclops/Xavier should be an absolute blow out, before you even add Beast and Red Lotus to the mix. 

+++

The Jean/Scott relationship was just so cringeworthy as to be unwatchable. Even ignoring all of the awful dialogue and pacing, the fact that she was 3 inches taller than he is bordered on comedic. 

[Fresh Prince]

Seems like magneto gets all the big action sets in the last few movies

Last Stand-Bridge

First Class-Submarine

DOFP-Stadium

Apocalypse-Metal in the ground

and now this one.

[AlexGreen#20]

5 hours ago, Fresh Prince said:

Seems like magneto gets all the big action sets in the last few movies

Last Stand-Bridge

First Class-Submarine

DOFP-Stadium

Apocalypse-Metal in the ground

and now this one.

The decision has been made that Storm isn't going to be fully in control of her powers yet. She's really the only one of the mutants that really is capable of bringing the house down visually. 

Cyclops doesn't kick the glasses all the way open and lay waste to the world much as part of the character. Jean had quite a bit of flashy screen time in this one.

Also the train scene really sucked.

[43M]

On 6/17/2019 at 7:08 PM, Broncofan said:

Here's the thing - it's one thing if you are going to take a beloved comic arc, and make it different.   There's nothing wrong with that, as long as you execute your version in a way that's organic, and that delivers on the potential it offers.

The movie has Dark Phoenix as the freaking title.   There were at least 2 major references to it at the end of the last movie.  All the ads focused on Jean turning into Dark Phoenix.  But we shouldn't bag on the movie for underwhelming on its delivery, and making it a total side arc, rather than the focus?   The movie writers & producers & directors made this call - even if they had a vision to make the Phoenix angle play out over 2 movies....what they chose to do is just poor movie-scripting, to reduce it to a side-show, then produce the arc as a side-story.      Honestly, if they had ended the movie with the Phoenix arc unresolved, but had given it enough time to have it reach that stage, no one would likely criticize it as much as it's getting now for delivering an afterthought arc in this area..when it's billed as the main event.

Forget the fact that the Phoenix arc is a gold mine that should leverage a great story, no matter if you deviate from the comic arc.   They chose to make the arc the previous movie hinted at big things with both Apocalypse's line and Jean's appearance, the entire pre-movie trailer releases, and yes, the title.....into a side story.    No matter how ppl make excuses for it...it's just inexcusable. 

Twice now they made Phoenix a side story.  Kinsburg had a major hand in both.  Doesnt make sense how they could make the same exact mistake twice given that fact.

[Calvert28]

On 6/17/2019 at 6:08 PM, Broncofan said:

Here's the thing - it's one thing if you are going to take a beloved comic arc, and make it different.   There's nothing wrong with that, as long as you execute your version in a way that's organic, and that delivers on the potential it offers.

The movie has Dark Phoenix as the freaking title.   There were at least 2 major references to it at the end of the last movie.  All the ads focused on Jean turning into Dark Phoenix.  But we shouldn't bag on the movie for underwhelming on its delivery, and making it a total side arc, rather than the focus?   The movie writers & producers & directors made this call - even if they had a vision to make the Phoenix angle play out over 2 movies....what they chose to do is just poor movie-scripting, to reduce it to a side-show, then produce the arc as a side-story.      Honestly, if they had ended the movie with the Phoenix arc unresolved, but had given it enough time to have it reach that stage, no one would likely criticize it as much as it's getting now for delivering an afterthought arc in this area..when it's billed as the main event.

Forget the fact that the Phoenix arc is a gold mine that should leverage a great story, no matter if you deviate from the comic arc.   They chose to make the arc the previous movie hinted at big things with both Apocalypse's line and Jean's appearance, the entire pre-movie trailer releases, and yes, the title.....into a side story.    No matter how ppl make excuses for it...it's just inexcusable. 

Sounds like another arc that was built up for many years and then turned into a side joke. Like really? That was it? That's all it took was one poke? 8000 years of myth and fear and he gets taken out like a needle poking a balloon? 

I decided to wait for a downloadable version of this if everyone here is in agreement its largely underwhelming.

[KellChippy]

At least the music was good 

[thrILL!]

I didn’t get a chance to see in the theatre. I’ve seen all of them on the big screen so I wanted to close it out there too.  AoA wasn’t very good so that had everyone convinced this was going to suck.  I had low expectations going in for that esp considering how it was released so unceremoniously.  Fox was washing its hands of it and Disney clearly didn’t care.

I finally got a chance to see it and I loved it.  It’s up there with X2, DoFP and Logan for me.  It felt like actually reading a comic book more than any other movie besides Infinity War.  The opening sequence was so good that I had hope that Kinberg could deliver and he did.  His choices in the way he composed his shots, his composition, etc were all quite impressive for his directorial debut.  

There are pockets of corny dialogue and I’m sure ppl have and will continue to complain about Jean Grey/Phoenix.   There was never going to be the Shi’ar involvement from the comic.  That was too complicated.  So the use of aliens in this one shouldn’t be surprising.  Jessica Chastain was much more interesting than her fellow aliens.

The action and fight sequences were outstanding   The visuals were fantastic.  The score was dope.  The Blackbird was perfection.   Mystique continued being the weak link but at least found some usefulness when her fate was the catalyst to propel Erik and Hank.    

I guess Singer proved to be the anomaly after all considering the disappointment of AoA is sandwiched between two great installments.  Maybe his personal problems derailed it  maybe he just lost his touch   It’s been a long time since Usual Suspects and X2.

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by thrILL!

[AlexGreen#20]

14 hours ago, thrILL! said:

I didn’t get a chance to see in the theatre. I’ve seen all of them on the big screen so I wanted to close it out there too.  AoA wasn’t very good so that had everyone convinced this was going to suck.  I had low expectations going in for that esp considering how it was released so unceremoniously.  Fox was washing its hands of it and Disney clearly didn’t care.

I finally got a chance to see it and I loved it.  It’s up there with X2, DoFP and Logan for me.  It felt like actually reading a comic book more than any other movie besides Infinity War.  The opening sequence was so good that I had hope that Kinberg could deliver and he did.  His choices in the way he composed his shots, his composition, etc were all quite impressive for his directorial debut.  

There are pockets of corny dialogue and I’m sure ppl have and will continue to complain about Jean Grey/Phoenix.   There was never going to be the Shi’ar involvement from the comic.  That was too complicated.  So the use of aliens in this one shouldn’t be surprising.  Jessica Chastain was much more interesting than her fellow aliens.

The action and fight sequences were outstanding   The visuals were fantastic.  The score was dope.  The Blackbird was perfection.   Mystique continued being the weak link but at least found some usefulness when her fate was the catalyst to propel Erik and Hank.    

I guess Singer proved to be the anomaly after all considering the disappointment of AoA is sandwiched between two great installments.  Maybe his personal problems derailed it  maybe he just lost his touch   It’s been a long time since Usual Suspects and X2.

 

How?

[Fresh Prince]

Singer directed DOFP 

[thrILL!]

4 hours ago, Fresh Prince said:

Singer directed DOFP 

Oh yeah duh. Well that really makes Apocalypse being a turd even more of a head scratcher. 

[Jimmex]

What a terrible movie.

[kingseanjohn]

Just watched it. Overall not as bad as I expected, but I wouldn't cal it good either. Definitely bottom 3 X-Men movie.

Good:

• Mutants being friends of humanity (see what I did there)  to humans creating internment camps for certain ones is something that would have worked even better if this was a cohesive and continuing universe. Altough, this was mentioned once and then pretty much ignored.
• Fassbender plays Magneto so well.
• Train scene, especially Nightcrawler and Magneto.
• Chess homage to the original movies.

 

Bad:

• I don't understand why Xavier has a direct line to the president.
• Sophie Turner isn't a good actress, at least in this role.
• The movie takes place in the 1990s. Magneto looks good for a 1990's 50 year old.
• The Mystique makeup gets worse each movie.
• The Sebastian Shaw/Magneto helmet from First Class keeps changing w/o reason.
• Beast was way too gungho to kill Jean.
• Too much action and not enough plot.
• The movie jumped scene to scene and it was over. Felt like a rushed but extended TV episode.
• Too much McAvoy. He isn't bad but he isn't Patrick Stewart.
• Who tf were the bad guys? Aliens but who and why?
• The lack of continuity between movies.
• What happened to Quicksilver? He was there in the beginning and then was AWOL the rest of the movie with no explanation, but he's in the school scene to close it out. The dude gets one scene each movie and then peaces out despite being good.
• Jean voice over instead of Xavier just to nitpick.